October 5: Time to deliver on economy

THIS is a big week for the Conservative Party. It is the first time since 1996 that a Tory leader has addressed the party faithful as a prime minister with a majority government.

But before David Cameron takes to the conference stage in Manchester, the Chancellor, George Osborne will outline his economic plans for the next Parliament. He will no doubt mention the Northern Powerhouse.

Mr Osborne has invested a lot of time and energy into this and he will take to the podium on the back of last week’s announcements over devolution in Sheffield and the re-electrification of the TransPennine rail lines.

But while Ministers have been quick to praise these moves, it is not all good news. A joint study by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economic and Business Research, published today, reveals that London’s economy is set to grow almost twice as fast as the so-called Northern Powerhouse over the next decade.

This means the economic gap between the capital and cities like Leeds and Sheffield is likely to widen significantly. According to the study, business leaders in the North also want more money spent improving local road networks than on large scale projects like HS2.

The study raises valid concerns. For all the talk about the need to “rebalance” our economy, its axis remains very firmly tilted towards London and the South East, underpinned by the financial services sector.

Not only that, but next month the government will publish its Spending Review outlining £20bn worth of departmental budget cuts over the next five years.

What impact will this have on the North of England and, in particular, Yorkshire?

With the economic recovery far from secure and the economic gap growing between London and the North, the jury is still out on whether the Government can deliver on its pledges.

Political giant

Farewell to a Labour Party hero

It was a mark of Denis Healey’s standing in the world that he was widely regarded as the best Prime Minister Britain never had.

Lord Healey, who died at the weekend at the age of 98, may not have attained the highest political office, but he was one undoubtedly one of the biggest and most charismatic figures in post-war British politics.

He was raised and educated in Yorkshire and retained a deep affection for his adopted county throughout his life.

Lord Healey served as an MP for Leeds for 40 years before joining the House of Lords. He was one of the last surviving politicians born during the First World War who also saw action in the Second – serving as a Beach Master at Anzio.

With his passing we have not only lost a remarkable politician but also a direct link to a tumultuous period in our island’s history.

But it was not just his longevity that made Lord Healey such an important political figure. Throughout his career he was the man tasked with cleaning up the mess others left behind.

During the 1970s, he told his party hard truths it did not want to hear and in the following decade he came to its rescue as it threatened to implode.

He played a crucial role in preventing Labour from slipping into the political abyss at a pivotal moment in its history.

But Denis Healey was no career politician. His knowledge and interests ranged from poetry and music to philosophy and history, yet he wore his intellectual prowess lightly.

Famed for both his wit and abrasion, he also knew how to enjoy life.

Put simply, he was among the best of men and the world is all the poorer for his passing.

Rock bottom

England leave their own party

ENGLAND’s defeat by Australia was as emphatic as it was humiliating.

To be the first ever host nation to get knocked out in the group stages of the Rugby World Cup is an ‘honour’ we could have well done without. Yes, England had a tough group, but the manner of their exit was embarrassing. The team’s dismal performance raises plenty of questions, none more so than over the future of head coach Stuart Lancaster.

This is a sporting festival that was supposed to inspire the next generation of youngsters to take up the sport. What chance is there of that happening now?

Sadly, England’s early exit is likely to have a knock-on effect for the rest of the tournament as interest starts to wane. But instead of wallowing in England’s ineptitude, perhaps we should celebrate the courage of plucky underdogs like Japan, who humbled the mighty South Africans. Just because the hosts have left their own party, it does not mean the rest of us have to.